Dendera zodiac

The Dendera zodiac is a bas-relief ceiling from the temple of Hathor in Dendera, Egypt. Based on the position of the stars, paleoastronomers have determined that it dates from 30 BC–30 AD, during the Late Period of ancient Egypt. Both Mesopotamian and Egyptian sky iconography are elegantly combined in the composition.

The central disc represents the celestial realm which include Ursa Major, the great bear, and Tauret, the pregnant hippo-lion goddess. Another ring of figures outside of these circumpolar star groups depict Greco-Roman astrological signs such as the Ram, Lion, Bull, and Scorpion. Around the rim of the sky disc, Decans or 'hour stars' used to track time appear above the horizon at dawn. Outside of the sky disc, four pairs of falcon-headed gods and four priestesses from the Temple of Isis are shown holding the heavens above the earth.

The Dendera zodiac is on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, and has lost its original painted decoration. Ken Bakeman has researched and meticulously redrawn the design, adding color in keeping with the vision of the original Egyptian artists.